US Mint Halts 2009 Nickels and Dimes Production

The United States Mint has halted production of circulating 2009 Jefferson nickels and 2009 Roosevelt dimes for the rest of this year, according to the latest issue of Coin World. As the dime and nickel production graphs show, the stoppage creates historic, staggering low mintages for the two coins — levels not seen since the 50s.

Coin Word’s Paul Gilkes reports the US Mint made the announcement on April 23, and included details of a scale back in producing for other circulating coins, like the three remaining 2009 Lincoln Pennies.

It’s not that the public or collectors dislike the new coins. Quite the opposite, in fact. Collector demand for 2009 circulating coinage is exceptionally high. It’s all about the recession. It has, by itself, significantly eroded demand for new coins in every day transactions.

Why? In addition to buying less, consumers as a whole no longer hoard loose change at home. They spend or cash it in, replenishing circulating supplies to such an extent that coin inventories at banks have climbed. Banks, in turn, cut Federal Reserve orders for new coin shipments. Federal Reserve banks do the same to the Mint, which is then forced to slash production.

Electronic transactions has already cut into demand for circulating coins over the last several years. The latest news from the Mint, however, overshadows how drastic demand for coins has been affected due solely to the recession.

Using the latest Mint circulating coin production figures for 2009 Jefferson nickels, 39.36 million from Denver and 39.84 million from Philadelphia were struck, for a total of 79.20 million coins. In contrast, 640.6 million nickels were minted last year. That is an astonishing 87.6 percent reduction. The last time a U.S. nickel had such a low combined mintage was in 1951.

Jefferson Nickel Production by Mint Facility (1999-2009)

The picture is very similar for 2009 Roosevelt dimes. 49.50 million in Denver and 96.50 million in Philadelphia were struck, for a total of 146 million coins. In contrast, 1.05 billion circulating dimes were minted last year. That is a 86.1 percent reduction. The combined mintage level has not been this low for the dime since 1955.

Roosevelt Dime Production by Mint Facility (1999-2009)

Finding circulating 2009 nickels and dimes will become a priority for many collectors, as their comparative scarcity is extremely attractive. The task may be quite difficult, however. To date, finding 2009 coinage has been a challenge. And unlike other circulating coins, the Mint does not directly sell the nickel and dime in bags or rolls to collectors.

[Editor’s update: 2009 nickel and dime production figures were updated to include totals to the very end of April, which the Mint released on May 1. The original article posting had tallies up to April 29.]

If any sort of financial sanity and reality prevailed at the US Mint, and with American coins and currency in general, we would have decades ago stopped minting those pathetically USELESS cents, and more recently given up on five cents and dimes as well. Just keeping even with inflation since the 1930’s, when the cent was our lowest denomination coin, we would have the quarter as our lowest value coin today, given the dollar has lost 95% of its purchasing power since then.

In addition, we would have long ago stopped printing dollar bills (which as a merchant I HATE!), and fives and tens as well, replacing them with coins.

Why does this obvious fact of our depreciating dollar and its impact on circulating coins and bills never seem to get any attention?

2009 Jeff Nickels production is listed as about 38M each for Phila and Denver. I have obtained one from the Phila mint but haven’t
heard/seen anything concerning the Denver mint. Has the Denver mint
actually minted the 2009-D nickel? If so, does anyone know the release date?

The only way that I can see to get 2009 dimes and nickels from both mints is to purchase the uncirculated coin set from the US Mint. At $27.95 this sounds like a bargain compared to what the 2009 dimes and nickels have been selling for on ebay.

I would like to give my great grandson a set of coins for his birth year, but as yet, have not been able to find a dime, or a nickel for 2009/ Have they not been minted? or released by the mints? I don’t care about mintmarks as I am not a collector.

From last I heard that the 2009-D mint dimes are still at the federal reserve in denver, said it could be awhile before they are introduced into circulation. Like don said best luck is to get a undcirculated sets and pull the dimes out!!!

Ebay. I just bought a roll of 2009-d roosevelt dimes on Ebay. Dealers are starting to break down the rolls and are selling the individual coins. My advice, get em’ while you can. I’m gonna start hoarding them I think. Something for my grandkids to find once I’m long gone. Good luck!

IMO hoarding would only be reasonable if you’re obtaining the coins at or near face value. Eventually those millions sitting in storage will make their way into circulation and/or the retail market as the economy improves. I’m pretty sure they’ll still be worth a premium due to low mintages but past experience with low-issue coins would seem (to me at least) to favor a price drop before settling down.

I’m thinking of what happened with coins like a 1950-D nickel or 1983 quarter. Both were bid up for a while but then went back down after a while. The run-up in prices pulled more of them onto the market, so values eventually dropped before stabilizing. They’re still good coins and sell way above face, but nowhere near what they were when “everyone” wanted one.

I haven’t found even 100 2009 coins yet, and it’s 2010 already. Most of those ~50 are pennies! I guess since they made ~2700 of them, they are the least rare. Because I have no 2009 uncirculated coin sets, where are those 49 nickels and 39 dimes minted for circulation?

As a modest collector,I usually check my change for anything collectible(silver dimes & quarters,war nickels,1943 copper pennies).The cashier at the galley where I worked asked me why,and i told her I was looking for ’09 nickels.Since then,she has found both Denver & Philly ’09 nickels.I also have an ’09 Philly dime;haven’t seen an ’09 D dime yet.

I now know as a collector that the U.S stops production on certain coins and that is plain stupid. If you stop production of Money the dollar goes down with it. I admit I have OCD over coins but coin collecting is the best thing anyone can do because you invest, explore, and Preserves your country’s past. Now if there are any new collectors or any wannabes back the fuck off and leave the coins to the Pros because we know what were doing.

I think people that are waiting for 2009 coins to be released need to realize that the mintages of 2009 dimes and quarters are so low that there aren’t enough for everyone to have one. The population of US is around 312 million. 2009D dimes with a mintage of 49 million means that 1 of 6 americans can actually have one as long as people only have one. With the 2009P dimes having a mintage of 96 million means less than 1 in 3 people.
With the 2009 nickels having a mintage of around 40 milion means that
less than 1 in 7 people can have one of each. This assumes the coins are only in US and that people only have 1. More than likely some people will
have more than 1. This year there are 792 million nickels and 1.2 billion dimes so far to put mintages into perspective. It is only a matter of time before people realize how small 2009 mintages are. I would suggest paying
a little extra now to get one if you want one.

I’m soooooo frustrated after reading this. I have been looking for a 2009 nickle since I had my daughter. I made a coin collection for each of my children with coins for there birth year and now I won’t be able to complete her set unless. Pay a ridicuolously amount for a nickle this is crazy.

Went through about $120 worth of coins I’d been throwing in a coffee can for the last year-and-a-half. Pennies, dimes, not so many nickels. Quarters spend too good at the poolroom, but I’ve looked through about $200 worth in that same year-and-a-half. Coins were various dates, mint marks, and conditions. Plenty enough 2011 through 2014 coins. As an aside, I found no silver and seven wheat pennies. Oldest coin was a 1941 penny.
In looking for 2009 coins, I also pulled out 2008 and 2010 as control groups. What I found was
2008: 3 pennies, 1 dime
2009: 1 dime
2010: 4 pennies, 1 dime
Then, the other day I got 73 cents in change at Krogers and there was a 2009 dime in that change. Kinda made me start wondering about sample sizes.

I MANY have rolls of 2009’s.All Denoms. except the dime. The article only states that the nickle & dime are limited. I get the bricks of pennies rolls. (search online to see what I mean). Great since my grand child was born in that year & I save ALL coins of the birth year for each child.
I find them in circulation often. Interesting how some cant find any.

I just learned that in 2010 when Haiti had the big earthquake, Hillary Clinton ordered that huge quantities of 2009 coins still sitting in the FR’s vaults were to be sent to them. Haiti had NO banks, no places for the public to cash checks or get change for their businesses, etc etc etc – so good old Hillary raped our treasure and sent them our coins. I have heard that Haiti bargained away the nickels to another country for the bullion value which exceeded the 5 cent face value. In short, they were melted down and the lid has been clamped on this explanation. Just call the US Mint and ask them if this is true and they will claim that they are unable to comment on that specific issue.